Worker Complains Over Firing By Town

Manchester News Notes

March 15, 1996

A town employee who was fired this month from his position as the solid waste/recycling coordinator has filed a complaint with the state Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities.

The employee, Ifeanyi Christopher Okafor, says he was not properly trained and was fired, in part, because of his race, color and national origin. He was hired to oversee the daily operation of the town's landfill and recycling programs.

The complaint was filed in town hall Tuesday.

The 33-year-old says in the complaint that he was hired June 19 and received a letter Nov. 30 that his probation period was being extended. March 1, the complaint states, he was notified his last day of employment would be today.

He says in the complaint that his supervisor told him that the probationary period was being extended because he needed to improve his technical knowledge, management skills and writing skills.

He says in the complaint that he was set up to fail and was not trained properly.

General Manager Richard Sartor said Thursday that Okafor's performance was not satisfactory.

``The town makes significant efforts to appoint minorities. . . . We felt that, with some assistance, he could learn to do the job and it didn't work out,'' Sartor said. ``His termination had nothing to do with the basis of this claim.''